Pressurized fluid flow system having multiple work chambers for a DTH hammer and normal circulation hammer thereof

Abstract

A pressurized fluid flow system for a down the hole drill hammer has main and auxiliary chambers that exert work on the piston. The auxiliary chambers are formed around respective waists on the piston and externally delimited by respective cylinders which are arranged longitudinally in series. A set of supply chambers filled with the pressurized fluid are defined by annular recesses in the external surface of the piston for supplying said fluid to the chambers. Supply channels and discharge channels are formed in between the outer casing and the cylinders for respectively supply pressurized fluid through exit ports in the cylinders to the supply chambers and emptying the chambers through discharge ports in the cylinders. The supply and discharge of the chambers is controlled in a cooperative way by the piston and the cylinders. A normal circulation drill hammers is provided having this system.

Claims

1. A pressurized fluid flow system for a down the hole drill hammer, CHARACTERIZED in that the hammer has a cylindrical outer casing, a rear sub affixed to the rear end of the outer casing for connecting the hammer to a source of pressurized fluid, a piston slidably and coaxially disposed for reciprocating movement inside the outer casing, and a drill bit slidably mounted on a driver sub in the front end of the hammer, the pressurized fluid flow system comprising: a main lifting chamber and a main drive chamber located at opposite ends of the piston for causing the reciprocating movement of the piston due to the changes in pressure of the pressurized fluid contained therein; a set of cylinders including at least one rearmost cylinder and one forwardmost cylinder, wherein the cylinders are arranged longitudinally in series and coaxially disposed in between the outer casing and the piston, and wherein the cylinders are separated from each other by seals; a set of auxiliary lifting chambers and auxiliary drive chambers for likewise causing, in conjunction with the main lifting chamber and the main drive chamber, the reciprocating movement of the piston due to the changes in pressure of the pressurized fluid contained therein, wherein the auxiliary lifting and drive chambers are respectively located at each side of said seals and are formed by respective waists machined around the piston; a set of supply chambers, wherein the supply chambers are defined by annular recesses on the external surface of the piston, and wherein the supply chambers are disposed in permanent fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid and filled with the same when the piston is reciprocating; one or more supply channels formed in between the outer casing and the cylinders, wherein the supply channels are in permanent fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid and filled with the same when the hammer is operative; one or more discharge channels formed in between the outer casing and the cylinders, wherein the discharge channels are in permanent fluid communication with the bottom of the hole when the hammer is operative; wherein the cylinders have: a front set of recesses, and a rear set of recesses on their inner surfaces for respectively connecting the supply chambers with the lifting chambers and with the drive chambers when these must be supplied with pressurized fluid; a set of front discharge ports, and a set of rear discharge ports for respectively discharging pressurized fluid from the lifting chambers and drive chambers to the discharge channels; a set of exit ports for connecting the supply channels with the supply chambers; and wherein the rearmost cylinder has: a set of intake ports that connect with the source of pressurized fluid.

2. A normal circulation down the hole drill hammer, CHARACTERIZED in that the hammer comprises: the pressurized fluid flow system of claim 1, wherein the bit has splines on the outer surface thereof and channels formed between the splines, wherein the channels are covered by the driver sub and wherein the bit further has flushing holes for connecting the channels formed between the splines with the bottom of the hole; and a drill bit guide having one or more apertures that connect the discharge channels with the channels formed between the splines of the drill bit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 depicts a longitudinal cross section view of a normal circulation DTH drill hammer according to the invention, the hammer comprising the improved pressurized fluid flow system of the invention, specifically showing the disposition of the piston with respect to the drill bit, cylinders and seals when the plurality of lifting chambers are being supplied with pressurized fluid and the plurality of drive chambers are discharging pressurized fluid to the bottom of the hole.

(3) FIG. 2 depicts a longitudinal cross section view of a normal circulation DTH drill hammer according to the invention, the hammer comprising the improved pressurized fluid flow system of the invention, specifically showing the disposition of the piston with respect to the drill bit, cylinders and seals when the plurality of drive chambers are being supplied with pressurized fluid and the plurality of lifting chambers are discharging pressurized fluid to the bottom of the hole.

(4) FIG. 3 depicts a longitudinal cross section view of the normal circulation DTH drill hammer according to the invention, the hammer comprising the improved pressurized fluid flow system of the invention, specifically showing the disposition of the piston with respect to the drill bit, cylinders and seals when the hammer is in flushing mode.

(5) FIG. 4 depicts an isometric view of the cylinders and seals array of the improved pressurized fluid flow system of the invention.

(6) FIG. 5 depicts a cross section view of the cylinders and seals array of FIG. 4 for a best understanding of the different features of these elements.

(7) FIG. 6 depicts, in an exploded view, all the parts of the normal circulation DTH drill hammer according to the invention for a best understanding of the different features of these elements.

(8) The pressurized fluid flow system of the invention has been depicted in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, as applied to a normal circulation DTH drill hammer, showing the solution designed under the invention to convey the pressurized fluid coming from the source of pressurized fluid to the supply channels and thence to the plurality of lifting chambers and drive chambers, and from these chambers to the discharge channels and therefrom to the bottom of the hole drilled by the hammer, in all modes and states of these chambers, including the exhaust of pressurized fluid to the front face of the drill bit for flushing the rock cuttings. In the figures, the direction of the pressurized fluid flow has also been indicated by means of arrows. However, a skilled person in the art will readily visualize how to apply the pressurized fluid flow system of the invention to a reverse circulation DTH hammer, since the pressurized fluid flow system is the same than that depicted for a normal circulation DTH hammer in FIGS. 1 to 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the pressurized fluid flow system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the following main components:

(10) a cylindrical outer casing (1) having a rear end and a front end;

(11) a driver sub (110), mounted to said front end of the outer casing (1), and having an inner surface (113) with splines (112) machined thereon;

(12) a rear sub (20) affixed to said rear end of the outer casing (1) for connecting the hammer to the source of pressurized fluid;

(13) a piston (60) which is slidably and coaxially disposed to exert a reciprocating movement inside the outer casing (1); and

(14) a drill bit (90) slidably mounted on the driver sub (110), the sliding movement of the drill bit (90) limited by the drill bit retainer (210) and the drill bit supporting face (111) of the driver sub (110), the drill bit (90) comprised of a drill bit shank (95) at the rear end of the drill bit and a drill bit head (96) at the front end of the drill bit, the drill bit head (96) being of bigger diameter than the drill bit shank (95) and having a front face (99), the drill bit shank (95) having an outer surface (98) with splines (93) machined thereon, wherein the drill bit (90) is aligned with the outer casing (1) by means of a drill bit guide (150) disposed inside said outer casing (1).

(15) As shown in these figures, the pressurized fluid flow system of the invention further comprises the following components:

(16) a main lifting chamber (240) and a main drive chamber (230) located at opposites ends of the piston (60) for causing the reciprocating movement of the piston (60) due to the changes in pressure of the pressurized fluid contained therein;

(17) a set of cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c), in this case three cylinders and including at least one rearmost cylinder and one forwardmost cylinder, that are arranged longitudinally in series and are coaxially disposed between the outer casing (1) and the piston (60), the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) being supported on the outer casing (1) and separated from each other by seals (290 a, 290 b), in this case two of them, the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) having respectively inner (47 a, 47 b, 47 c) and an outer surfaces (48 a, 48 b, 48 c);

(18) a set of auxiliary lifting chambers (241, 242) and auxiliary drive chambers (231, 232), in this case two of each, respectively located at each side of said seals (290 a, 290 b) and respectively formed by rear (74 a) and front (74 b) waists machined around the piston (60), for likewise causing the reciprocating movement of the piston (60) in conjunction with the main lifting and drive chambers (240, 230), due to the changes in pressure of the pressurized fluid contained therein;

(19) a set of supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c) defined by annular recesses in the external surface (65) of the piston (60) in cooperation with the inner surfaces (47 a, 47 b, 47 c) of the cylinders (40a, 40 b, 40 c), the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c) being in permanent fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid and filled with the same;

(20) one or more supply channels (2) formed in between the outer casing (1) and the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) by a set of recesses in the outer surface of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c), the supply channels (2) being in permanent fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid;

(21) one or more discharge channels (3) formed in between the outer casing (1) and the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) by a set of recesses in the outer surface of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c), the discharge channels (3) being in permanent fluid communication with the bottom of the hole; and

(22) channels (97) cooperatively formed between the splines (112) on the inner surface (113) of the driver sub (110) and the splines (93) on the outer surface (98) of the drill bit shank (95).

(23) As can be noted, each of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) has respectively, a front set of recesses (45 a, 45 b, 45 c), and a rear set of recesses (46 a, 46 b, 46 c) on its inner surface for respectively connecting the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c) with the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) and with the drive chambers (230, 231, 232) when these must be supplied with pressurized fluid; a set of front discharge ports (44 a, 44 b, 44 c), and a set of rear discharge ports (43 a, 43 b, 43 c) bored therethrough for respectively discharging pressurized fluid from the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) and drive chambers (230, 231, 232) to the discharge channels (3); a set of exit ports (42 a, 42 b, 42 c) for connecting the supply channels (2) with the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c).

(24) The precise boundaries of the different drive and lifting chambers are as follows: The main drive chamber (230) of the hammer is defined by the rear sub (20), the rear cylinder (40 a) and the main drive surface (62 a) of the piston (60). The first auxiliary drive chamber (231) is defined by the rear seal (290 a), the middle cylinder (40 b), the piston's rear waist (74 a) and the first auxiliary drive surface (62 b) of the piston (60). The second auxiliary drive chamber (232) is defined by the front seal (290 b), the front cylinder (40 c), the piston's front waist (74 b) and the second auxiliary drive surface (62 c) of the piston (60). The main lifting chamber (240) is defined by the drill bit (90), the drill bit guide (150), the front cylinder (40 c) and the main lifting surface (63 c) of the piston (60). The first auxiliary lifting chamber (241) of the hammer is defined by the rear seal (290 a), the rear cylinder (40 a), the piston's rear waist (74 a) and the first auxiliary lifting surface (63 a) of the piston (60). The second auxiliary lifting chamber (242) is defined by the front seal (290 b), the middle cylinder (40 b), the piston's front waist (74 b) and the second auxiliary lifting surface (63 b) of the piston (60). The volumes of the drive chambers (230, 231, 232) and the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) are variable depending on the piston's position.
Control of the State of the Lifting Chambers (241, 242, 240)

(25) When in the hammer cycle the impact face (61) of the piston (60), which is part of the main lifting surface (63 c), is in contact with the impact face (91) of the drill bit (90) and the drill bit (90) is at the rearmost point of its stroke, i.e. the hammer is at impact position (see FIG. 1), the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) are respectively in direct fluid communication with the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c) through the front set of recesses (45 a, 45 b, 45 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c). In this way, the pressurized fluid is able to freely flow from the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c) to the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) and start the movement of the piston (60) in the rearward direction.

(26) This flow of pressurized fluid to the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) will stop when the piston (60) has traveled in the front end to rear end direction of its stroke until the point where the front outer supply edges (72 a, 72 b, 72 c) of piston (60) respectively reaches the rear limit of the front set of recesses (45 a, 45 b, 45 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c). As the movement of the piston (60) continues further in the front end to rear end direction of its stroke, a point will be reached where the front outer discharge edges (73 a, 73 b, 73 c) of the piston (60) will respectively match the front limit of the sets of front discharge ports (44 a, 44 b, 44 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c). As the movement of the piston (60) continues even further, the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) of the hammer will respectively become fluidly communicated with the set of discharge channels (3) through the sets of front discharge ports (44 a, 44 b, 44 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) (see FIGS. 2 and 5). In this way, the pressurized fluid contained inside the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) will be discharged into the set of discharge channels (3) and from the set of discharge channels (3) it is able to freely flow out of the hammer through the channels (97) cooperatively formed between the splines (93) of the drill bit shank (95) and splines (112) of the driver sub (110), and through the flushing passages (92) of the drill bit (90) to the front face (99) of the drill bit (90).

(27) Normally, the drill bit (90) is aligned to the outer casing (1) of the hammer by a drill bit guide (150) having discharge grooves (151) as shown in the Figures (see particularly FIG. 6). In the current invention these discharge grooves connect the set of discharge channels (3) with the channels (97), so that the discharge of pressurized fluid flows through these discharge grooves (151) before reaching the channels (97) and thereafter flows through the flushing passages (92) of the drill bit (90). However, the invention is not limited to the use of a drill bit guide and alternative alignment solutions may be used with corresponding pressurized fluid discharge means.

(28) Control of the State of the Drive Chambers (230, 231, 232)

(29) When in the hammer cycle the impact face (61) of the piston (60), which is part of the main lifting surface (63 c), is in contact with the impact face (91) of the drill bit (90) and the drill bit (90) is at the rearmost point of its stroke, i.e. the hammer is at impact position (see FIG. 1), the drive chambers (230, 231, 232) are in direct fluid communication with the set of discharge channels (3) respectively through the sets of rear discharge ports (43 a, 43 b, 43 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) (see FIGS. 1 and 5). In this way, the pressurized fluid contained inside the drive chambers (230, 231, 232) will be discharged into the set of discharge channels (3) and from the set of discharge channels (3) out of the hammer and to the front face (99) of the drill bit (90) in a similar fashion as with the pressurized fluid discharged from the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240).

(30) This flow of pressurized fluid will stop when the piston (60) has traveled in the front end to rear end direction of its stroke until the rear outer discharge edges (70 a, 70 b, 70 c) of piston (60) reaches respectively the rear limit of the sets of rear discharge ports (43 a, 43 b, 43 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c). As the movement of the piston (60) continues further in the front end to rear end direction of its stroke, a point will be reached where the rear outer supply edges (71 a, 71 b, 71 c) of the piston (60) matches respectively the front limit of the rear sets of recesses (46 a, 46 b, 46 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c) (see FIGS. 2 and 5). As the movement of the piston (60) continues even further, the drive chambers (230, 231, 232) of the hammer will respectively become fluidly communicated with the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c) through the rear sets of recesses (46 a, 46 b, 46 b) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c). In this way, the drive chambers (230, 231, 232) will be supplied with pressurized fluid coming from the supply chambers (68 a, 68 b, 68 c).

(31) Flushing Mode Operation

(32) If the hammer is lifted in such a way that the drill bit (90) stops being in contact with the rock being drilled and the drill bit's retainer supporting shoulder (94) rests on the drill bit retainer (210), the drill bit (90) will reach the front end of its stroke and then the hammer switches to its flushing mode. In this position the percussion of the hammer stops, hence leaving the impact face (61) of the piston (60) resting on the impact face (91) of the drill bit (90) (see FIG. 3 for illustration of the flushing mode description while features (61) and (91) are shown in FIG. 2), and the pressurized fluid is conveyed directly to the front end of the drill bit (90) through the following pathway: into the set of supply channels (2) through the supply undercut (21) of the rear sub (20) and the rear pressurized fluid intake ports (41) of the rearmost cylinder (40 a), and from the set of supply channels (2) to the set of discharge channels (3) respectively through the set of exit ports (42 a, 42 b, 42 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c), through the drive chambers (230, 231, 232), and through the sets of rear discharge ports (43 a, 43 b, 43 c) of the cylinders (40 a, 40 b, 40 c). From the set of discharge channels (3) the pressurized fluid is able to freely flow out of the hammer and to the front face (99) of the drill bit (90) in a similar fashion as with the pressurized fluid discharged from the lifting chambers (241, 242, 240) and drive chambers (230, 231, 232) when the hammer is in drilling mode.